The White House announcement coincided with the arrival in Washington Thursday of Burma’s foreign minister Wunna Maung Lwin, who met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The administration, in recognition of some political reforms — and democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi’s recent electoral win — after years of military rule, also announced the easing of some restrictions on investment and trade with the country, also known as Myanmar.

The good news for Mitchell? If confirmed by the Senate, he’s going to be ambassador to Burma. The bad news? He’s going to be ambassador to Burma.